CONFIDENTIAL
62 - 1
POSES PROBLEMS. AS MR ATKINS SAID AFTER HIS VISIT TO CHINA IN
JANUARY, THE CHINESE ARE NOW THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG
KONG WITH A VIEW TO DISCUSSING IT IN DUE COURSE WITH HMG. OUR
IMPRESSION IS THAT THEY REGARD AS IMPORTANT ELEMENTS THE CON-
TINUED PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND ITS POSITION AS A FREE PORT
AND FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE.
Q. WILL THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG (LIKE THOSE OF
THE FALKLAND ISLANDS) BE REGARDED AS PARAMOUNT?
A. THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG IS DIFFERENT.
SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER:
A. IT WOULD BE THE OBJECT OF ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE TO
ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE FULLY
SAFEGUARDED.
SUPPLEMENTARY ANSWER:
A. OBVIOUSLY THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD BE
TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ALREADY HAS WELL-
TRIED MACHINERY FOR ASCERTAINING PUBLIC OPINION.
Q. IS HMG CONSIDERING A 'LEASE-BACK' FOR HONG KONG ON THE LINES
PREVIOUSLY MOOTED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS?
A. NO CONCLUSIONS HAVE BEEN REACHED. BUT OF COURSE THE POSITION
IN HONG KONG AND THE FALKLANDS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. PART OF
HONG KONG TERRITORY IS ALREADY THE SUBJECT OF A LEASE ARRANGEMENT
AND THE TWO SITUATIONS ARE NOT ANALOGOUS.
Q. WOULD HMG BE PREPARED TO GRANT ADMITTANCE TO THE UK OF ALL
BRITISH PASSPORT HOLDERS IN HONG KONG IN AN EMERGENCY, AS HAS
BEEN DONE FOR THE FALKLAND ISLANDERS?
A.
THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION. ANY SITUATION WOULD HAVE
TO BE CONSIDERED ON ITS MERITS. PYM
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PS/LORD BELSTEAD
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MR DONALD
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SIR E YOUDE (C/O HKGD K243)